Tuesday, July 18, 2006

A-2 One - Two Buckle My Shoe


A-2 One - Two Buckle My Shoe Posted by Picasa

Now this... was a piece of work. LOL It frustrated me from the start. I got better at my Geese, but I think I rushed it a bit and wasn't careful with my seams, hence why they didn't match up. I tested it against my brother, standing at a distance I asked "Can you see anything wrong with this?" And he looked blank, stared, then finally answered "No." "So it's not obvious that it doesn't join up?" He shrugged and said he didn't notice. It's position on the quilt, top left corner, means it'd be in the overhang on the bed. It may not be so obvious. But, if worst comes to worst, I can always take it apart and redo it when I'm going over all my finished blocks. For now, this is good enough for me. =)

Mum's Jane: 12/0/0/228

C-1 Trooper Green's Badge


C-1 Trooper Green's Badge Posted by Picasa

This block gave me so much trouble because things weren't lining up. But then I thought "Bugger it, it's only looking obvious because it's just one little block" so I left it as it was. I thought it was actually not that hard. And it doesn't look so bad. I'm tired now though so everything looks good because I can't be bothered fixing it. When I wake up tomorrow I will most likely change my mind. =P

Mum's Jane: 11/0/0/188

A-5 Cathie's Campfire


A-5 Cathie's Campfire Posted by Picasa

This was my first ever attempt at Geese- I had never made them before. Hence, I kinda screwed them up. But I wasn't in a perfectionist kind of mood tonight- I just wanted to get things done. I think I like that attitude better. "Finished is better than perfect!" Jane's weren't perfect, so why should mine be? =P

Mum's Jane: 10/0/0/175

A-8 Florence Nightingale


A-8 Florence Nightingale Posted by Picasa

I got 6 blocks done in a day! That's double what I had previously. The first block I had sewn completely in my second round of free time was this one. Mum and dad went out for dinner so I had a few hours after uni to sew. Maybe it was the extra motivation from uni that got me to sew more? It was fast and it lined up well. It didn't have heaps of seams either, so I quite liked this block.

Mum's Jane: 9/0/0/146

Monday, July 17, 2006

C-12 Family Reunion


C-12 Family Reunion Posted by Picasa

Bah, I didn't like this one. The tiny 9-patches were so thick from the seams when they were finished. The whole block still isn't pressing perfectly flat, but I figure it has to sit under my bed, sandwiched between my other blocks, for a long time and this should press it a little more flat. At least my points are matching up- it'll look good from a distance, just not up close. =) PS. Yes, my scanning and cropping skills leave much to be desired.

I've got a few more blocks cut out and waiting their turn patiently- hopefully next weekend I'll knock out more than just 3- mum and dad are going to a dinner dance on Saturday night, I have plenty of time!

Mum's Jane: 8/0/0/135 (I've hit the 100 pieces mark!)

B-13 Four Corner Press


B-13 Four Corner Press Posted by Picasa

This block was so simple but I still managed to screw it up. I made the center purple square an inch bigger than required and as a result the whole block was big. I didn't even realise until I compared it with my other finished blocks. It would have been finished Saturday, but I unpicked it, trimmed it, and had it sewn on Monday. Once I knew where I went wrong it was smooth sailing. PS. Mind the dodgy scanning- I was in a rush.

Mum's Jane: 7/0/0/86

C-3 Rayelle's Fence


C-3 Rayelle's Fence Posted by Picasa

I managed to complete three blocks this week. It would have been 4 if mum went out with dad on Saturday night, but she didn't so I had an hour only to sew while she took my brother to his basketball game. She was out on Thursday night though for a few hours and I managed to do a lot of cutting. In total I cut out 8 blocks. I was piecing B-13 Four Corner Press, and after finishing that and Rayelle's Fence, I realised that I massively screwed up B-13, it was a whole inch bigger than it was meant to be. So I unpicked it, trimmed it, then stitched it right today. Rayelle's Fence was one of the blocks I cut on Thursday, but it was sewn on Saturday night. I finished sewing C-12 Family Reunion and B-13 today. I nearly finished C-1, Trooper Green's Badge, but that one had seams that were way off, so that will need to be unpicked too, so I can finish that next time. I still managed to get three done this week, so I'm still on the right track. And yes, I didn't do any triangles, I'll do my first triangle when I hit 50 blocks.

Mum's Jane: 6/0/0/77

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Cutting Night & Change of Plans

Tonight I didn't get any sewing done, because I didn't have enough time. It would have been too risky because I wasn't sure how long mum would be out. But, I did cut out another three blocks which I shall sew on Saturday night when mum and dad go out again. I need to draft more pieced blocks and cut them out, as I find that this is the step that is taking the longest.

My plan may slightly need to be changed. There are no 'easy' triangles. There are enough challenging blocks without having to deal with the triangles yet, too many curves and uneven triangles. So instead of tackling a triangle at each 5 blocks, I will just stick to the blocks. =) Hence why I just cut out 3 more blocks. I keep looking for 'easy' ones to boost my confidence, and have found heaps. Enough to keep me happy for a while longer.

I have started making a booklet to go with the quilt. It's in pearl cream and pearl purple paper, that will be a journal while I make the quilt, showing small pictures of each block. I'll get it all laminated and bound. I figure that it's fine if mum knows about the quilt, which I'm sure she suspects, but she won't know about the journal. Hopefully my thoughts while making the quilt will be more valuable to her. It'll be a nice companion to the quilt as well, and will give my descendants knowledge about why I made the quilt. This is something I believe all quilters wished Jane did. I would have loved to know what she though of each block as she made it.

I go back to university this Monday. I'm hoping that I can juggle the DJ and stay focused. I shouldn't find it too hard, it's just a matter of good time management. =)

Sunday, July 09, 2006

L-5 Chattanooga Charlie


L-5 Chattanooga Charlie Posted by Picasa

I liked this block because sewing smaller triangles is something I haven't really done yet. I'm gradually dipping my feet into the water. This was what I considered my 'challenging block', although it came together pretty easily. Cutting wasn't a problem and I've now remembered by heart the half-square triangle rule: add 7/8ths. Works like a charm. Sewing was a bit distorted because the triangles kept wanting to run away from each other, but at least it's finished! Finished is better than perfect. I can see why this is the DJ mantra. =P

After finishing this block, my 5th block, the plan is to do my first blue triangle. For every 5 blocks, a triangle will be done. Now I just need to find an easy triangle! Oh, and I exceeded my weekly quota, I was aiming to get only 2 done per week, but this week I conquered 3. Go me.

Mum's Jane: 5/0/0/52

J-4 Adelaine's Apron Strings


J-4 Adelaine's Apron Strings Posted by Picasa

Now this block was a bit complicated, only because I was unsure how to cut the purple strips in the middle. In the end, I ended up cutting it long and then trimming it. Much easier. It sewed together no problem, despite the triangles. Pressed well too.

Note: This block was completed before L-5 Chattanooga Charlie.

Mum's Jane: 4/0/0/30

A-6 Uncle Homer


A-6 Uncle Homer Posted by Picasa

Dad took mum out last night, so I managed to get three blocks done (next up is my first triangle!) It helped having a cutting plan to go by first, which I can do in my room while mum's at home, and then when she's out I can go ahead and cut, sew and press. Much easier. I'm learning already. =)

Uncle Homer was on my list of easy pieced blocks, it's a simple 9 patch. It was quick and easy, and I did it with no trouble.

Mum's Jane: 3/0/0/23

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Oh noes... Mum saw!

Last Thursday, mum saw the first two blocks! What happened was, I was scanning them on the computer, and I can't use Photoshop to save my life, but my brother can. I was screaming for him to come help me, but mum assumed that I wanted him to see something, and she wanted to see what I was showing him. To put it short, I couldn't close the browser in time and she saw the scans. =/

She thought it was very pretty, so I decided to show her the blocks, stating clearly that it was a colour experiment (seeing how well cream and purple goes together) and I only made simple blocks for this purpose, and that I wasn't going to make anymore. Just in case she got suspicious, I also told her 'coincidentally' that the two blocks are old patterns because I found them in the Jane quilt. I don't think she put two and two together, because she asked if 'card trick', our first block we ever made, was also in the Jane quilt. When I told her it wasn't, she said it must not be that old. I doubt Jane would have tried to get every block pattern into her sampler quilt that was around at that time, but I was glad for the diversion and left it as is. She did sneak in a comment that the purple and cream would look very nice in her room, and that it was a pity I didn't have more of the purple fabric (she overheard me complaining to dad that I couldn't find it anymore) so that we could have made her a big bed quilt. I think I've confused her enough to throw her off. =)

I think I'm safe, as long as she doesn't see anymore blocks. So from now on, even the scanning will be done when she's not home.

I've spent the last few hours writing down a cutting chart for the next 5 blocks I'm going to sew. Hopefully I should have a triangle completed by then too. =)

Saturday, July 01, 2006

D-13 Field of Dreams




















Block D-13, Field of Dreams Posted by Picasa

As mum and dad went out tonight, I managed to finish two blocks in one night. Field of Dreams was what I saw as the second easiest block. So far, everything has been machine pieced. I've had no trouble with anything yet. When mum teaches me how to applique properly next month, I'm going to make a start on the easier applique pieces. Until then I'm trying to knock out as many blocks as I can that can be pieced while mum and dad are out.

For every 5 blocks I get done, I'm going to attempt one triangle. Or at least try to stick to that plan!

Mum's Jane: 2/0/0/14

M-10 Simple Simon



Block M-10, Simple Simon Posted by Picasa

Of course, this was the easiest block to start with! A simple 9-patch. I love how elegant the fabrics look against each other. And I like how you can see the swirls on the cream fabric, which was exactly why I chose it. Very proud of my first block!

Mum's Jane: 1/0/0/9

And Blue makes Three...


The fabrics I'm using Posted by Picasa

This pretty blue was also $6/meter, and I though it might make a nice offset when I'm making the triangles. Tomorrow I'm going to work out approximate yardage and see if I'm at least over the minimum amount we calculate.

What I'm thinking of doing, is using the blue and cream for the triangles, with the solid triangles (the non-pieced ones) in the blue fabric. The cream and purple will be in all of the square blocks, with purple representing the dark colours and cream the light.

I really think this can work if I stick at it! =)